Blue Star Brewing Celebrates 25 Years of Cold Beer, Scratch Grub, and a Good Time

Blue Star Brewing Company has become a mainstay over the last 20 plus years, inserting itself into San Antonio as a mainstay of its rich and modern brewing history. Blue Star was started in 1996 by San Antonio resident Joey Villarreal, inspired by his brewing experiments at his neighborhood bar aptly named ‘Joey’s’ years before. … Read more

Fidens: The Courage to Craft Great Beer

A trio of brewers in Colonie are bold, courageous, confident, and resolute, having taken the leap from brewing beer at home to opening their own commercial brewery. Steve Parker, Tim Pierce, and Michael Carter opened Fidens Brewing Company in September 2019. The brewery’s name comes from the Latin word “fidens,” which speaks to the courage … Read more

Second Pitch Beer Company: A Must Visit in Alamo This Summer

Second Pitch Beer Company’s owner and head brewer James Hansen is hoping his brewery will become a destination within San Antonio. The California native started his brewing career cleaning tanks at Devil’s Canyon Brewing in San Carlos, California, and would eventually go on to handle production procurement and brewing for Gordon Biersch Brewing Company’s production … Read more

The Art of Canning a Beer

Beer, one of the world’s oldest and most popular beverages, is much like music and fine art. It is subjective. What is appealing to one person may be appalling to another. And as the craft beer revolution in America continues, many craft brewers are utilizing their cans as a canvas for more than just listing … Read more

Follow (Some) of the Rules

Beer can be divided into two main groups: ales and lagers. Ale, the original beer, is brewed in a way that results in earthy and fruity flavors. Lagers tend to be lighter and drier. Each type of beer, and the styles that represent them, has a distinctly different flavor that pairs well with certain foods. … Read more

Cooking Tips for the Chef

Have fun with it. Keep it simple, don’t over think it. If it’s not fun, you’re doing it wrong. This is beer! The best part of trial and error…is the trial. Keep practicing! Look to gain an understanding of malt flavor profiles that different beer styles offer. Beer IS, in fact, food. The malt character, … Read more

Finding the Perfect Balance

Because beer is, in fact, food, and because beer offers such a wide array of aromas and flavor, it allows for the perfect pairing to fully enhance your dining experience. Understanding exactly how the flavors and aromas of your beer can bring your meal to another level is actually quite simple and fun. When pairing … Read more

Beer Style of the Month: English IPA

Origin: London, England: 1780ish History: IPA’s evolved from English October/Pale Ales that were shipped to India for the British Troops. These soldiers were given a ration of a gallon of ale per day! Sadly, these pale ales struggled on the long overseas journey from London, souring in the heat on their weeks long trip as they rounded … Read more

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